GOPUSA ILLINOIS Daily Clips - June 8, 2008
ST. LOUIS POST DISPATCH & QUAD CITY TIMES & BLOOMINGTON PANTAGRAPH
-- GOP thanks Blagojevich for uniting party - Kenneth Lowe
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/illinoisnews/story/98ABDFEAB096366C8625746200070596?OpenDocument
http://www.qctimes.com/articles/2008/06/07/news/state/doc484b52049d399825087980.txt?sPos=2
http://www.pantagraph.com/articles/2008/06/07/news/doc484b5e05c6fac923126255.txt
(THE ARTICLE: DECATUR - Leaders at the Illinois Republican Party Convention here Saturday thanked Gov. Rod Blagojevich, a Chicago Democrat, for uniting their party. "We thank you, Gov. Blagojevich, for everything you've done to organize us!'' Senate Minority Leader Frank Watson, R-Greenville, said before the assembled delegates. Even though the governor's term won't expire until 2010, some members of the Republican Party have already stated their aspirations for taking his spot. Among those who have hinted at a run are state Sen. Dan Rutherford of Chenoa and state Sen. Bill Brady of Bloomington, who ran an unsuccessful primary bid against Judy Baar Topinka in 2006. House Minority Leader Tom Cross said it is important to fight for the governor's office, but also for control of the Legislature. "We need to have a different person [as governor], and I don't know who it's going to be, but it has to be a Republican," Cross said. Watson said no matter who captures the Republican nomination for governor, he hopes for unity within the party. "I don't want to see a divided or divisive primary where we just spend money, split the party, and nothing gets accomplished," Watson said. While some were looking toward 2010, Republicans have a more immediate fight on their hands in November now that Barack Obama has secured the Democratic nomination for president. His emergence this week is expected to draw more Democrats to the polls to vote for the junior senator from Illinois. Despite the likelihood of what he called a "favorite son effect," Illinois Republican Party Chairman Andy McKenna said Democrats have a tough record to defend. "People come to me - particularly reporters - saying, geez isn't it hard, Senator Obama's going to be on the top of the ticket here in Illinois," McKenna said. "I say to them, it gives us both the opportunity and the responsibility to say to people, 'What does Democratic leadership mean?'" Brady said Obama's liberal political stance could also be a weak point. "There's a great number of people in this state who do not agree with what Barack Obama believes in," Brady said. Obama's prominence coincides with a very low approval rating for President George W. Bush, which former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich said has rubbed off on the Republican Party as a whole. Watson said Republican presidential nominee John McCain could turn that perception around. Also Saturday, the party elected Pat Brady of St. Charles as national committeeman and Demetra Demonte of Pekin as national committeewoman.)
MCHENRY COUNTY BLOG
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: Cal Skinner reports on the Illinois Republican Party state convention
http://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2008/06/gop-chairman-andy-mckenna-lashes-jim.html
PUBLIC AFFAIRS
-- Illinois State GOP ain't ready for reform: Kjellander, Rove and McKenna win another one. A McCain Connection? - Jeff Berkowitz
http://jeffberkowitz.blogspot.com/2008/06/kjellander-happy-with-his-successor-pat.html
ILLINOIS REVIEW
-- BEYOND OUTRAGEOUS: Rauschenberger Denied Convention Credentials - Fran Eaton
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2008/06/rauschenberger.html
-- SB600: The floor of the convention got angry over McKenna gaveling down SB600. There has been a demand for a role. Andy has made everyone stand that was in favor. When everyone stood up, half dozen cops entered the convention room as if on cue. To no avail. The vote was lost a second time over the strong objections of the delegates on the floor. - Fran Eaton
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2008/06/sb600-part-ii.html
-- Illinois Republican Party: From the perspective of an "outee" - Fran Eaton
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2008/06/from-the-perspe.html
-- Kjellander Denies Pat Brady Embrace - Fran Eaton
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2008/06/kjellander-deni.html
-- Gambling Legalized in DuPage County Hospitality Suite - John Ruskin
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2008/06/gambling-legali.html
-- Illinoisans can be proud of "Lt. Dan" - Mark Rhoads
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2008/06/illinoisans-can.html
CHICAGO TRIBUNE
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: VERY SAD BUT NOT SURPRISING: Chicago Tribune report on Illinois Republican Party state convention focuses on controversy rather than facts
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-state-gop_both_08jun08,0,5284538.story
(THE ARTICLE: State GOP chairman criticizes Thompson, Schillerstrom He says recent actions antithetical to Republican beliefs - Rick Pearson DECATUR - The state's GOP chairman issued an unusual public rebuke Saturday to two prominent Republicans - former Gov. Jim Thompson and Robert Schillerstrom, DuPage County Board chairman - saying their recent activities send the wrong signal about what Republicans believe. The remarks by Illinois Republican Chairman Andy McKenna capped an eclectic final day of the state GOP convention, which also featured a call-in from presumptive Republican presidential nominee Sen. John McCain of Arizona, who promised a "vigorous" campaign in Illinois despite the Democratic favorite-son candidacy of Sen. Barack Obama. McKenna chastised Thompson for calling upon President Bush to commute the sentence of former Republican Gov. George Ryan on corruption charges after Ryan's appeal was rejected by the U.S. Supreme Court. Thompson's law firm defended Ryan, who had served as Thompson's lieutenant governor. "It disappoints me when a former governor of Illinois stands up and calls upon the president of the United States to commute the sentence of a convicted governor here in Illinois, because that says to people that Republicans think that kind of behavior is right," McKenna said. "It's not right." McKenna also took on Schillerstrom, the 10-year chairman of the DuPage County Board, for lobbying in Springfield for permission to raise the county's sales taxes to prevent program cuts and layoffs. Schillerstrom also backed, as an alternative, an increase in regional transit taxes, of which DuPage County is receiving a cut. "It's a disappointment to me when a county board chairman goes to Springfield and lobbies with Democrats for a sales tax increase because that makes people feel like that's what Republicans believe in," McKenna said. Thompson, the state's longest-serving governor, did not attend the state convention but said McKenna was confusing Thompson's ethical duties as a lawyer with partisan politics. "My duty, ethical duty, as counsel for Gov. Ryan I think has a higher place than somebody else's conception of what it means to be a Republican," Thompson said. "I don't see anything inconsistent between my duties and my role as a Republican and a delegate." McKenna's remarks toward Schillerstrom revealed heightened tensions between the two. "His statements are unfortunate," said Schillerstrom, who attended the convention. "Conventions are to bring people together, and obviously that statement is divisive and I'm disappointed that he did it. I don't think it helps the Republican Party." McCain, like Illinois' Republican Party, faces a difficult fall ballot with Obama as the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee. In a phone call to the convention, McCain acknowledged it would be a "tough campaign," but said he was "confident of where we are and where we're going to go.")
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: VERY SAD BUT NOT SURPRISING: Chicago Tribune report on Illinois Republican Party state convention focuses on controversy rather than facts
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-gop-conventionjun08,0,1358150.story
(THE ARTICLE: Illinois Republicans prepare for election as state convention begins Republicans lay out plans for election at state convention - Rick Pearson DECATUR — As the problems surrounding Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich deepen with the recent corruption conviction of fundraiser Antoin "Tony" Rezko, Illinois Republicans opened their state convention Friday struggling for ways to present themselves as a credible alternative for the next election and beyond. State GOP Chairman Andy McKenna made it clear that Republicans would attempt to tie Blagojevich to Democrats across the fall ballot, including presumptive Democratic presidential nominee U.S. Sen. Barack Obama, whose last two years in the state legislature came under a Democratic governor. Obama "wants to go to Washington and change ethics reform. Well Gov. Blagojevich got elected saying he was going to do that and it still hasn't happened," McKenna said. "I think we can say to people focusing on Sen. Obama, 'Well, what is the record?' And the rhetoric might be impressive, but what is the record of Democratic leadership in Illinois." The effort to combat the daunting effects of an Obama presidential run on GOP candidates down the ballot led some members of the state GOP platform committee to discuss including Obama's middle name, Hussein, sources said. Some have criticized the use of Obama's middle name as unfairly inflammatory. The document ultimately did not contain the reference, said the sources, who reviewed a final draft. Still struggling to recover the relevance it lost amid the corruption investigation and conviction of former Republican Gov. George Ryan, the state GOP also finds itself beset by longtime internal strife. A cadre of conservatives trying to advance their agenda under a reform mantle has clashed with old-guard moderates seeking to maintain their control.)
-- After Rezko verdict, ethics bill looms large on governor's desk He says it doesn't do enough; critics say he is stalling - Ray Long and John Chase
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-illinois-ethics08jun08,0,4401623.story
-- Obama's mettle was forged in city's dubious furnace - John Kass
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/chi-kass_bd_08jun08,0,1740975.column
-- Feds say ex-GOP treasurer Christopher Ward embezzled over $500,000 - Paul Kane and Del Quentin Wilber
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-republican_slider_bdjun08,0,7222125.story
CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
-- BEYOND OUTRAGEOUS: NU students, alumni call for Wright action Groups demand honorary degree be awarded after all - Mary Mitchell
http://www.suntimes.com/news/mitchell/993607,CST-NWS-mitch08.article
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: VERY SAD: Falsani blasts Cardinal George, again
http://www.suntimes.com/lifestyles/religion/993479,CST-NWS-fals08.article
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: VERY SAD: Chicago Sun-Times promotes Pfleger, again
http://www.suntimes.com/news/commentary/993551,CST-EDT-edit08.article
NORTHWEST HERALD
-- Pols eye fests to stump - Diana Sroka
http://www.nwherald.com/articles/2008/06/08/news/local/doc484b745c3ac44368053434.txt
DAILY HERALD
-- Schools must make English necessary - Sarah Fallon, Palatine
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=203909&src=
CRAIN'S CHICAGO BUSINESS
-- Obama's age - Greg Hinz
http://www.chicagobusiness.com/cgi-bin/mag/article.pl?articleId=30006&seenIt=1
SPRINGFIELD STATE JOURNAL REGISTER
-- Ordinance talk centers on apprenticeship requirement - Chris Wetterich
http://www.sj-r.com/local/x1489203461/Ordinance-talk-centers-on-apprenticeship-requirement
ROCKFORD REGISTER STAR
-- Fueling the pinch: Lawmakers debate gas price solutions - Adriana Colindres
http://www.rrstar.com/news/x816773876/Fueling-the-pinch-Lawmakers-debate-gas-price-solutions
SOUTHERN ILLINOISAN
-- Let's focus on the work of government, please - Editorial
http://www.southernillinoisan.com/articles/2008/06/07/opinions/voice_of_the_southern/24713079.txt
LOS ANGELES TIMES
-- McCain v. Obama: Opening shot in the battle over crime - Richard B. Schmitt
http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-crime8-2008jun08,0,3386050.story
ANDY MARTIN
-- Andy Martin calls Senator Barack Obama an anti-Semite
http://www.pr-inside.com/andy-martin-calls-senator-barack-obama-r630579.htm
